Lexy Kessler ’85: A Terp with Tenacity

Lexy Kessler ’85 has always been a trailblazer, but didn’t realize it until later in her career. “You just did it because you knew it was the right direction. You knew it was going to be good for the firm to do it, so you just persevered,” she said.

She continues to pave the way for others in her industry. She was recently elected as the Chairman of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the eighth female chairman, which she said is “the crown jewel” of her career. In this role, she hopes to listen and connect with her industry peers to discuss new trends and a future-focused strategy for the profession. 

Giving back to the industry is something she has always valued through her work with AICPA, which she has been active in for 15 years. “It really helps with providing resources to the profession, providing direction and leading the profession,” as well as advocating for industry policy that makes sense, she said. Getting involved with the industry through volunteer work is something Kessler recommends to those starting out with their careers. “The best thing I ever did is volunteer with the AICPA as well as the Maryland State Society of CPAs,” she said, adding that volunteering is a way to make an impact and create change in a safe space. 

Throughout her career, she said she “developed this tenacity that helped me stick through as firms change. I always wanted to make a difference. So being able to make a difference with clients, making a difference with the people that you work with, were two really important things for me.” Her leadership style is to inspire people to explore the unthinkable while also treating people the way she would want to be treated. “That will come back to serve you well in life. And in your career.”

Kessler started her career in public accounting with Aronson LLC (since merged with and operating under Aprio). And after four years in the workforce and newly married, she was contemplating her next step. She accepted an offer from a client to work for them, but nine months later, she returned to her firm. “I missed working with the clients,” she said. 

But when she came back, she had a conversation with her managers about expectations. When the time came for her to be considered for a partnership at Aprio, “I said I want to be a partner, but I’m not going to be here on Sundays,” she said.

“But what they didn’t know is that being a mom, you are super organized and you use all the resources that are available to you to get things done,” she said. “My productivity matched theirs. I feel like I didn’t work harder, I worked smarter.” 

As Kessler moved through her career, she did so on her terms. She went on to lead the industry group and work on the firm’s board, where she was the first female chairman of the board. Today, she is a partner with Aprio. 

Being a Terp is something Kessler takes pride in. She originally planned to pursue computer science, but was inspired by a bookkeeping class in high school, which prompted her to explore accounting at the business school. Her husband, Iver Kessler ’85, is also a graduate of Smith, though they didn’t meet until after graduation. She has a son and a daughter—her son is also a graduate of the University of Maryland. 

As she reflects on her career and the benefits of a Smith School education, Kessler’s biggest piece of advice is to “get to know the people sitting next to you in class. Those are your relationships for the future.”